When director Hugo Martin unveiled the mantra for Doom: The Dark Ages as "stand and fight" during Xbox's Developer Direct, it instantly captivated me. This approach starkly contrasts with Doom Eternal, a game renowned for its fast-paced, mobile combat. However, Doom Eternal introduced one enemy that embodied this "stand and fight" philosophy—the Marauder. Known as one of the most controversial enemies in the series, the Marauder is loathed by many yet cherished by some, including myself. The revelation that the key to Doom: The Dark Ages' combat system involved reacting to bright green lights—just like defeating a Marauder—cemented my excitement for the game.
Rest assured, The Dark Ages doesn't lock you in frustrating cage matches like those with Eternal's Marauder. While it introduces the Agaddon Hunter, who wields a bulletproof shield and delivers a lethal combo attack, the essence of Eternal's challenging encounters is integrated across all enemies in The Dark Ages. The game's combat has been redesigned, refined, and reimagined, embedding the Marauder's principles into the core gameplay. This results in encounters that are smart and engaging, without the frustrations.
The Marauder in Doom Eternal is unique. Typically, Eternal's battles involve you darting around arenas, slicing through weaker enemies while juggling larger threats. Often described as a management game, Eternal demands you manage not just resources but also speed, space, and your arsenal. The Marauder disrupts this flow, requiring your undivided attention. When it appears, especially in larger skirmishes, the best strategy is to dodge its attacks, clear other enemies, and then confront it head-on.
Doom Eternal's Marauder is one of the most controversial enemies in FPS history. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda
Standing still isn't the goal here; it's about controlling the battlefield with precise positioning. Approach too closely, and you'll face a deadly shotgun blast almost impossible to avoid. Retreat too far, and you'll be pelted with easier-to-dodge projectiles, but you'll be out of range for his vulnerable axe swing. The key is to provoke the axe attack because the Marauder's only moment of vulnerability is during its wind-up. His energy shield absorbs all gunfire, so you must find the perfect spot to strike when his eyes flash bright green—a brief window to deliver the killing blow.
Bright green flashes are crucial in Doom: The Dark Ages as well. Paying homage to the series' origins, demons launch barrages of projectiles reminiscent of bullet hell games. Among these are special green missiles that can be parried using the Doom Slayer's new shield, sending them back to their source. Initially, this serves as a defensive tactic, but later, with the shield's rune system unlocked, parrying becomes a potent offensive tool, stunning enemies with lightning or triggering your shoulder-mounted auto-targeting cannon.
Your journey through The Dark Ages' battlefields becomes a series of focused, one-on-one encounters with various formidable demons. While survival doesn't hinge solely on reacting to these green lights, mastering the shield runes transforms parrying into a critical part of your arsenal. Weaving this into your combat strategy reveals the similarities between The Dark Ages' parry mechanics and Eternal's Marauder battles. You must find the optimal distance, as demons don't fire projectiles up close, and position yourself to catch the green orbs when they appear. Quick reactions are essential to execute the parry, demanding your full attention and turning each fight into a strategic stand-and-fight scenario.
One of the main criticisms of the Marauder was its disruption of Doom Eternal's flow. It couldn't be fought using the usual tactics that conquered other challenges, which is precisely why I adored it—it forced a different approach in a game that already broke many shooter conventions. Eternal demanded innovative thinking about resources, weapons, and combat, and the Marauder further challenged these new rules.
The Agaddon Hunter may be the most Marauder-like enemy in The Dark Ages, but every demon has a little bit of Eternal's most fearsome foe in them. | Image credit: id Software / Bethesda
Doom: The Dark Ages addresses this issue by incorporating varied combat "dances" into its broader battle strategy. Each major enemy type has its unique green projectile or melee attack, requiring you to adapt your approach for each encounter. For instance, the Mancubus fires energy "fences" with green "pillars" at each end, necessitating side-to-side movement to parry them. The Vagary launches a volley of deadly spheres, compelling you to sprint to deflect the right rows. The Revenant closely mimics the Marauder, remaining invulnerable until you parry one of its green skulls fired in alternating patterns from its shoulder launchers.
Since each demon demands a different approach, new enemies don't feel jarring. The Agaddon Hunter and Komodo might present a difficulty spike with their aggressive melee combos, but by the time they appear, you're already accustomed to adapting your movements and reactions. This wasn't the case with the Marauder in Eternal, where the gameplay focused on matching the right weapon to the right enemy rather than the positioning and reaction-based tactics needed to defeat it.
The Marauder's issue was never its design but its unexpected rule-breaking nature. Doom: The Dark Ages prepares you for similar challenges by making reaction-based mechanics integral to the entire gameplay experience, rather than a sudden surprise. While this shift makes the challenge less intense—the parry window is more forgiving than the Marauder's eye flash—the core concept of syncing with an enemy, waiting for the perfect moment, and striking when the light turns green remains central to every battle. Doom: The Dark Ages offers a fresh take on these ideas, yet they remain distinctly recognizable. You stand and you fight.
